Inspection device for irregular mechanical parts or the like



A. RAZ DOW May 27, 1958 2,835,942 INSPECTION DEVICE FOR IRREGULAR'MECHANICAL PARTS OR THE LIKE Original Filed April 28, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l a uvlf u ar INVENTOR. QdW 794 M 1 May 27, 1958 A. RAZDQW 2,835,942

INSPECTION DEVICE FOR IRREGULAR MECHANICAL PARTS OR THE LIKE Original Filed April 28, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4.

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United States Patent INSPECTION DEVICE FOR IRREGULAR MECHANICAL PARTS OR THE LIKE Adolph Razdow, Montclair, N. 3.

Original application April 28, 1954, Serial No. 426,280. Divided and this application August 17, 1956, Serial No. 604,802

3 Claims. (Cl. 22-113) The present invention relates to a pressure box for an inspection device for irregular mechanical parts or the like to be used particularly in connection with an apparatus for dimensional inspection of mechanical parts as turbine blades or vanes, axial flow compressors or the like.

This is a division of the copending patent application Serial No. 426,200, filed April 28, 1954, issued January 18, 1.957, under Patent No. 2,795,995.

it is one object of the present invention to provide a pressure box in which two series of fingers are disposed in two parallel planes spaced apart from each other, which fingers are mounted for movement along their longitudinal axes to be engaged by the surface of the article to be inspected, which fingers by means of additional side walls provided on the pressure box and in combination with the face of the article to be inspected defines a chamber in which a casting is formed by conventional means. The end face of the thus formed casting amounts to an exact replica of the face of the article to be inspected or at least a section of such face.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pressure box having disposed therein two series of fingers in parallel planes spaced apart from each other which includes means for automatically, semi-automatically or manually advancing and withdrawing, respectively said fingers from and into said pressure box, and some of said means are disclosed in the copending application, Serial No. 482,565, filed January 18, 1955.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent in the following description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, which disclose by example only one of a plurality of embodiments of the present invention, and in which:

Figure l is an elevation of the apparatus for forming the plurality of castings;

Fig. 2 is a section along the lines 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the engagement member for the blade;

Fig. 5 is a section along the lines 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the fingers used for forming the casting shown at an enlarged scale;

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of the pressure chamber; and

Fig.8 is a plan view view of the pressure chamber.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to Figs. 1 to 8 in which one embodiment of the apparatus is disclosed, the device comprises a horizontally disposed base 1, which is equipped with a preferably circular opening 2 for the purpose to project a light beam towards any one of a plurality of castings. The base 1 carries two parallel disposed guide members 3 which are adapted to form a guide for a carriage 4 which is movable along the base 1 between the guide members 3. The carriage 4 is adapted to be moved into a position in which the opening 2 is covered up and back into an inoperative "ice position in which the turbine blade or any other workpiece 5 is simultaneously removed from its casting forming position. A turntable 6 is built into the carriage 4, which turntable 6 is preferably of sector-like shape and permits an angular displacement relative to the carriage 4 for a few degrees in each direction by means of an operating screw 7. A hand-operated screw 8 is inserted into the carriage 4 for the purpose to lock the latter in any desirable position. It is to be understood, however, that additional securing means for the carriage 4 may be provided, as for instance by set screws (not shown) extending on the side through the guide members 3. A vise 9 is properly secured to the turntable 6 which is adapted to receive two clamp members 10 formed substantially complementary to the fir tree 11 of the 'work-' piece of blade 5. A screw bolt 12 carrying one of the clamp members 10 is adapted to open and close the vise 9, respectively, which screw bolt 12 is received by an upwardly extending bracket 13, likewise mounted on the turntable 6, the bracket 13 having threads complementary to the screw bolt 12.

The upper portion of the bracket 13 has secured thereto a second bolt 14 by means of a mounting 15 adequately secured to the bracket 13 and the forward end of the bolt 14 carries, by means of a pivot 16, an abutment member 17 which, due to its pivotal connection with the bolt 1 3, permits angular adjustment when engaging the face of the blade 5. The abutment member 17 is adapted to assume the pressure exerted against the blade '5 upon injecting the pressure fluid in the casting process.

The base 1 supports a second bracket 18 disposed on the opposite side of the blade 5, which bracket 18 comprises substantiaily a frame 19. The upper connection 20 of the frame 19 has inner threads and is adapted to receive a vertically disposed threaded bolt 21 to carry ,the pressure box 22 supported by a plate 23, the ends .the pressure fluid feed lines 25 lead to the pressure box 22. A hand-operated nut 26 retains the pressure box 22 in any desirable position.

As particularly clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7, a plurality of fingers 27 are disposed in parallel arrangement in the pressure box 22 and extend therefrom or may be withdrawn thereinto depending upon the control of the fluid pressure. Each one of the fingers 27 is of such configuration as to permit the exertion of fluid pressure for providing a projecting movement to the blade 5 and a withdrawing movement, respectively. For this purpose, each of the fingers 27 has a projecting portion 28 and in front and rear of the projecting portion 28 fluid outlets 29 and 31 are provided and an additional outlet 30 may also be arranged intermediate of each of the fingers 27, which outlet 30 is adapted for removal of superfluous oil escaping from the pressure fluid chamber. In case a forward movement of the fingers 27 is desired, conventional valve means (not shown) feed the pressure fluid to the outlet 29, thereby bringing about the advancement of the fingers 27. On the other hand, if the fingers 27 are to be withdrawn, the conventional valve means are changed to the position in which the pressure fluid is fed to the outlet 31 bringing about a withdrawal of the fingers 27. The two rows of parallel disposed fingers 27 define in combination with the lateral abutment members 22 a compartment 33 in which the cast is formed. The projecting movement of each of the fingers 27 permits of an advancement thereof in accordance with the contour of the workpiece within the accuracy determined by the thickness of each finger. The slight remaining space between scope of the present invention being determined by the objects and the claims.

I claim: 7 l. A box comprising a housing, two sets of a plurality of axially movable fingers disposed in the said housing in parallel arrangement, each pair of adjacent fingers in each of said sets being close to each other, a laterally adjustable member disposed at each side of said sets of fingers and movable into engagement with one side of a workpiece, said sets being spaced apart from each other and defining a compartment therebetween, one end of each of the said fingers projecting through one wall of the said housing, the said fingers being adapted to engage with their projecting ends the contour of a workpiece.

2. A box comprising a housing, two sets of a plurality of axially moveable fingers disposed in the said housing in parallel arrangement, each pair of adjacent fingers in each of said sets being close to each other, a laterally adjustable member disposed at each side of said sets of fingers and movable into engagement with one side of a workpiece, said sets being spaced apart from each other and defining a compartment therebetween, one end of each of the said fingers projecting through one wall of the said housing, the said fingers being adapted to engage with their projecting ends the contour of a workpiece, means for advancing the said fingers into contour engaging position with said workpiece, and means for withdrawing the said fingers. into the said housing.

3. The box, as set forth in claim 2, in which said means for advancing and withdrawing, respectively, said fingers comprises pressure fluid means, and a projection provided on each of said fingers, and means for connecting selectively the space defined in front and in rear of said projection of said fingers, in order to withdraw and advance, respectively, said fingers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 450,521 Mistelski Apr. 14, l891 1,944,744 Kuhlke Jan. 23, 1934 2,274,060 Hart Feb. 24, 1942 2,332,360 Wakefield Oct. 19, 1943 2,399,824 Pressman May 7, 1946 

